Apple

6,146 'Apple News' stories November 2008 - October 2013

Apple News and Brief History

Before you can properly understand Apple News, it’s important to know its history. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. In 1977, Apple’s sales were growing with the success of its early computers. Within a few years, Jobs and Wozniak hired designers and a production line crew. Apple went public in 1980 and was an instant success. Over the next few years, Apple shipped new computers featuring new graphical user interfaces, such as the original Macintosh in 1984. As the market for personal computers expanded through the 1990s, Apple lost market share to the cheaper Microsoft Windows on PC clones. Eventually, Wozniak and Jobs both left Apple. Jobs would go on to found NeXT and would return to Apple when NeXT was acquired in the late 90s. Apple then began a journey to the great second act in the history of the business world.

Since the release of the iPod in 2001, Apple has become a major player once again in the technology industry. After releasing the iPhone in 2007, the iPad in 2010, and the Apple Watch in 2015, Apple is now one of the largest companies in the world. Apple’s worldwide annual revenue totaled $274.5 billion for its 2020 fiscal year.

Today, Apple operates retail stores all across the world, has a growing services division, and an ever-expanding hardware lineup. The technology industry follows Apple news to see where the company is headed in the future.

Keep reading for the latest Apple news

Apple’s Cupertino ‘spaceship’ campus given go-ahead (final rubber-stamp vote in Nov)

Ben Lovejoy Oct 16 2013 - 4:03 am PT

1 Comment

Cupertino City Council last night voted unanimously to approve Apple’s planning application for the circular campus building first presented to council members by Steve Jobs in 2011, in what was to turn out to be his last public appearance before his death. It was Steve Jobs who nicknamed the building the ‘spaceship.’

Although the approval is still subject to a final vote on 15th November, the San Jose Mercury News reports that this is merely a formality.

Now that the project has been approved, the council by regulation must meet one more time on Nov. 15 for a final and largely perfunctory vote. The spaceship, for all practical purposes, has now been approved for liftoff.

You can view a gallery of photos of a detailed model below the fold …

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Wall Street Journal backs up analyst reports that Apple is reducing component orders for iPhone 5c

Benjamin Mayo Oct 16 2013 - 3:18 am PT

18 Comments

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is cutting component orders for the iPhone 5c by up to a third, reiterating the news that Apple is curtailing iPhone 5c production. This backs up a multitude of reports by industry analysts, which said that iPhone 5c demand is weaker than Apple’s initial expectations.

Apple told its Taiwanese assemblers Pegatron Corp. and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. that shipments of the iPhone 5C in the fourth quarter would be cut, the people said. Pegatron, which analysts say assembles two thirds of the iPhone 5Cs, was told orders would be cut by less than 20%, said a person familiar with the matter. Hon Hai, which assembles the remaining low-cost iPhones, was told orders would be cut by a third, said two people familiar with the matter.

In the past, Apple CEO Tim Cook has cautioned against supplier shipments analysis as an indicator of sales performance, saying that Apple sources components from multiple manufacturers. However, the sheer number of independent reports about cuts to iPhone 5c suggests there is some underlying truth to the story. On the flip side, iPhone 5s sales seem to be booming, doing better than predicted.

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Apple to hold London satellite stream of Oct. 22 event, private stream for employees

Mark Gurman Oct 15 2013 - 3:59 pm PT

10 Comments

Earlier today, Apple announced that it will be holding its fall event on October 22nd. The event will take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California. However, like in some past years, Apple will hold a simultaneous event to cater to media not located in the United States.

For its September 10 iPhone event, Apple held simultaneous satellite streams in Berlin, Tokyo, and Beijing. For the upcoming event, the stream will be held in London, according to members of international media invited to the stream. The London-based event will begin at 6PM local time and it will be held at the Kings Place Hall. This hall fits a few hundred people.

It is likely that the London stream will also offer an opportunity for local journalists to try out the new devices. We’re expecting an iPad mini with Retina display, redesigned full-sized iPad, new Macs, and talk of OS X Mavericks, so there will be plenty in store for the demo area…

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Google’s Sparrow mail app updated for the first time in months with new icon, iOS 7 fixes

Benjamin Mayo Oct 15 2013 - 8:11 am PT

5 Comments

Despite being bought out by Google, the replacement mail app Sparrow has now been updated for iOS 7. Whilst the developers behind Sparrow never said that work on the app had ceased, this was the implied meaning of Sparrow’s thank you letter still visible on the Sparrow website. Until today, the app had not been updated since December 2012, nearly a year ago.

This update brings compatibility bug fixes for iOS 7 as well as a new flatter icon, shown above. Even so, work on Sparrow is obviously not a priority for the team. Apart from a new icon, the point-fix update brings no new visual appearance to the app’s interface or any new features for users.

Nike launches more durable, Bluetooth 4.0 ‘FuelBand SE’, available alongside new apps on Nov. 6

Mark Gurman Oct 15 2013 - 8:06 am PT

9 Comments

In line with my report from earlier this month, Nike has taken the wraps off of its brand-new Fuel Band. The FuelBand is Nike’s fitness tracking device that is worn around the wrist, and it has been popular (including within Apple’s upper ranks). The new version, officially called Nike FuelBand SE, makes improvements to the design that focus on color, durability, and connectivity. As I reported, the new FuelBand is more durable, more water-resistant, and connects to devices via Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy (LE) technology:

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Tim Cook talks hiring of Angela Ahrendts as Retail chief, says she is ‘best person in the world for this role’

Mark Gurman Oct 15 2013 - 7:36 am PT

5 Comments

Last night, Apple announced that it had finally found a new Head of Retail: Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts. Ahrendts has been CEO of the fashion retailer for several years, leading the company through substantial growth in international markets. With that global growth experience and focus on high-end products, she seems like a natural fit to succeed in a role that has been so controversial over the past couple of years.

And Apple CEO Tim Cook seems to agree. The Apple chief executive took the time to keep his employees in the loop regarding the hiring process. Cook sent a company-wide memo this morning that discusses how he found Ahrendts and how she will fit into the Apple culture. While Ahrendts will be running Apple’s physical retail stores, she will also run Apple’s online stores. This is the first time in which the Retail Head’s domain covered both offline and online sales…

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Siri Eyes Free coming to six more 2014 Chevy models

Ben Lovejoy Oct 15 2013 - 7:02 am PT

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GM has announced that six more of its 2014 Chevrolet models will have Siri Eyes Free compatibility via its MyLink infotainment system. The company was the first company to offer Siri Eyes Free, initially on its Sonic and Spark models.

Camaro
Cruze
Equinox
Malibu
SS
Volt

With Siri Eyes Free, drivers can make calls, hear & dictate text messages, check & add calendar appointments and of course play music, all via voice. A button on the steering wheel is used to activate the service.

“The response to Siri Eyes Free integration in Chevy Sonic and Spark from our customers has been remarkable,” said Chris Perry, Chevrolet vice president of U.S. Marketing. “Easy, reliable and portable connectivity is a top priority for our customers, and Siri complements MyLink’s existing capabilities to help deliver an incredible driving experience, so we’re excited to expand this to even more customers.”

In Eyes Free mode, the iPhone’s screen remains off during usage to minimise distractions.

Report: New MacBook Pros on sale Oct 24/25, iPads Oct 30/31, Mac Pro Nov 15

Ben Lovejoy Oct 15 2013 - 4:26 am PT

32 Comments

Image: techbeat.com

French site MacG, which has an imperfect track-record, claims to have been given the dates on which the new MacBook Pros, iPads and Mac Pro will go on sale. The claimed dates are:

MacBook Pro on October 24th or 25th
iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 on October 30th or 31st
Mac Pro on November 15th

With Apple’s media event scheduled for 22nd October, this would put the MacBook Pros on sale very quickly indeed, just two or three days later.

However, the iPad and Mac Pro dates do not make as much sense. Apple has typically launched its new iPad models on Fridays (or Saturday for the original version), making it unlikely that the new tablets would hit store shelves on a Wednesday or Thursday (as the MacGeneration report claims).

As for the Mac Pro, that machine is a built-to-order computer, so perhaps it would be difficult to pinpoint an actual launch date for that product. MacG also happened to have claimed that Apple’s event would occur today, so that does not add much credibility to these new claims.

Below is what we’re expecting to see for each product …
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Apple finally finds new Head of Retail: Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts. Will begin in Spring 2014, run Online Stores too

Mark Gurman Oct 14 2013 - 11:14 pm PT

9 Comments

Apple today announced that it has finally filled the role of Senior Vice President of Retail: the Cupertino tech giant has hired Angela Ahrendts. Ahrendts is leaving her role as CEO of fashion retailer Burberry to take the top Apple retail job. Ahrendts will also lead Apple’s online stores. She will officially begin her role in Spring 2014.

You may recall Apple replaced its original Head of Retail Ron Johnson, who left for JCPenney but has since been removed from that role, with John Browett, but Browett proved not to be a good fit and was removed almost a year ago to date.

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Like iPad 3, new iPad mini could be technically thicker to fit Retina Display

Mark Gurman Oct 14 2013 - 9:29 am PT

18 Comments

Space Gray iPad mini 2 casing (via <a href="http://sonnydickson.com/2013/09/27/hands-on-with-the-ipad-mini-2-in-space-gray/">Sonny Dickson</a>)

One of the most exciting new features of the upcoming iPad mini successor is perhaps the long-rumored Retina display. Apple has been developing a Retina-version (Apple’s term for the crisper display found on iPhones, the larger iPads, and some MacBook Pros), but the company has been reluctant to ship it due to cost, hardware size, and battery-life concerns. Though for October 22nd, it sounds like Apple has an iPad mini with Retina display ready to go.

But, it could potentially have a very minor trade-off: some extra thickness and width that will likely not be noticeable to the human eye. Just like the the full-sized iPad went thicker (and heavier in that case) to accommodate the much higher-resolution Retina display, the iPad mini could slightly bulk up to fit the new display, according to Macotakara. At a conference in China, the website went hands-on with some purported cases for the next-generation iPad mini. These cases fit a device with a thickness of 7.5mm and width of of about 0.2mm wider than the current iPad mini…

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Twice as many people buying iPhone 5s as iPhone 5c (latest claim)

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 6:16 am PT

11 Comments

With no word from Apple on the breakdown of its record-breaking iPhone sales between 5s and 5c (and no word expected during the company’s earnings call either), everyone is posting their estimates.

First to the punch was Localytics, who used iPhone connections to mobile and web apps to come up with an estimate of three to one in favor of the 5s. KGI’s Mingchi Kuo disagreed, using supply chain analysis to put the figures closer to 50/50, and suggesting that, if anything, sales of the 5c might be slightly higher. Now we have Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (via AllThingsD) using consumer surveys to suggest that the 5s is outselling the 5c two-to-one …
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Apple faces new class action lawsuit from store employees over unpaid time waiting in line

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 5:39 am PT

10 Comments

Photo: hindustantimes.com

Law360 (via BI) reports that Apple is facing a second class action lawsuit filed on behalf of hourly-paid Apple Store employees who have to spend 10-15 minutes daily in unpaid time waiting in line to clock-in and for security checks when leaving the store.

Plaintiff and other Hourly Employees were and are required to wait in line for security checks for at least 10-15 minutes each day before leaving for their meal breaks and at the end of their shift after they had already clocked out. This daily 10-15 minute uncompensated waiting time during security checks was done in order to undergo searches for possible contraband and/or pilferage of inventory.

The claim argues that the time should be on the clock. Amazon is facing similar claims.

Two other Apple Store employees had previously filed a similar action, later expanded to a class action, though it doesn’t appear to have gathered much support. A class action is a lawsuit which anyone in the same position can join, and which could potentially leave Apple with a compensation bill for all hourly-paid store employees. Apple employs more than 40,000 staff worldwide in its retail stores, though it’s not known how many of them would qualify to join the claim.

Apple Stores are the most profitable retail spaces in the U.S., earning over $6,000 per square foot each year and beating even Tiffany and Harrods. We ran an insiders’ view of life as Apple Store staff back in March.

As expected, Apple Store iPhone trade-in program reaches the UK

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 5:38 am PT

5 Comments

You may recall we broke the story that Apple’s iPhone trade program, launched in the U.S. in August, was coming to the UK. It’s now launched – but you may not want to use it.

Apple says it will offer up to £175 for iPhone models in its UK stores. Apple offers up to $250 in its U.S.-based locations. The program allows a customer with an iPhone 3G or newer to receive a gift card with the trade-in-value for use towards a new iPhone. The new device must be activated in-store.

An online version, based on a different recycling firm, launched in the UK last year.

But for those who really don’t want the hassle of dealing with private sales, it’s at least an option to make that shiny new iPhone 5s a little cheaper …

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New iPhone 5s stock-tracking site offers insights into which models are in demand

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 4:19 am PT

2 Comments

A second iPhone 5S stock-tracking web app, this one available in all countries where the new handset is sold, has provided a few stats showing what people are searching for.

60 percent of people searching www.stock5S.com are looking for the gold model, with silver and space gray coming in at 20 percent each. The most highly-sought model is the 16GB gold model at 30 percent, followed by 32GB gold at 17 percent.

More than half are searching for 16GB models, almost a third looking for 32GB and just 14 percent wanting 64GB.

Note that these numbers don’t necessarily reflect actual demand: they are the models being sought for in-store pickup by those who have so far been unable to find them in-store. If 32GB Space Gray handsets are widely available, for example, fewer searches would be made online for those.

New renders tease iPad 5 in Apple Store setting ahead of Oct. 22 unveiling

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 3:57 am PT

13 Comments

If you’re impatiently waiting to see the new iPad 5 in the Apple Store, your wait is over – virtually, anyway. Martin Hajek has created some new renders that show the new slimmer-bezel iPad 5 in an Apple Store setting.

The iPad 5 is expected to have the same slim bezel design as the current iPad Mini, to be thinner and lighter than the current model, available in the same colors as the iPhone 5s, be powered by the same A7 chip and to have a larger-aperture 8MP rear camera. It’s not yet clear whether or not it will have a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It is due to be announced on 22nd October.

Rest of the renders below:
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Over half of iPads now being traded to Gazelle are iPad 2 & 3

Ben Lovejoy Oct 14 2013 - 12:00 am PT

12 Comments

New iPad figures from Gazelle suggest that owners of iPad 2 and iPad 3 models may be preparing to upgrade to the iPad 5. Gazelle told me that they are seeing five times as many iPad trade-ins as last year, with the trade-in rate increasing as the month progresses. Apple is due to launch the iPad 5 on 22nd October. Over half of all iPads being traded-in this year are the iPad 2 and 3 models.

Review combo: RAVPower Qi-Enabled Wireless Charger and xRobot Power Bank

Michael Steeber Oct 13 2013 - 11:12 am PT

1 Comment

For the last few weeks, I’ve been testing out both the RAVPower Wireless Charger and the xRobot Power Bank, two unique takes on the conventional way to charge your devices. While both products come from the same family, their functionality couldn’t be farther apart. Let’s take a look how both worked.

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Coming from Apple in 2014: 12-inch Retina MacBook, sharper iPad, cheaper iMac?

Mark Gurman Oct 12 2013 - 4:30 pm PT

38 Comments

According to typically-reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, Apple has a slew of new products in the works for 2014. The analyst has summarized his expectations for these new products in a new research note, and has also reaffirmed some of his previous claims for products in Apple’s pipeline for the rest of Fall 2013…

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Unity framework adds iOS 7 game controller support as Apple pushes developers to add compatibility to games at Tech Talks

Benjamin Mayo Oct 12 2013 - 6:06 am PT

3 Comments

Alongside iOS 7 came support for a new third-party accessory: game controllers. To use this feature, you need to both own an Apple-approved gamepad accessory and a compatible game from the App Store. We have seen leaks of MFI hardware from Logitech and other manufacturers, but nothing has yet hit the market.

As such, uptake for the new Game Controller APIs by developers has been slow as customers cannot yet take advantage of the feature. Today, the Unity framework announced on its blog that the newest version of its game engine surfaces inputs from these controllers natively in the SDK. Basically, Unity is offering a wrapper between Apple’s Objective-C API and Unity’s own game logic code.

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New model of Apple’s proposed spaceship campus reveals new details about the building

Michael Steeber Oct 11 2013 - 12:17 pm PT

5 Comments

New photos from the San Jose Mercury News today reveal additional details about Apple’s new campus, slated to be completed sometime in either 2015 or 2016. A scale model of the planned building was shown to The Mercury News by Apple’s CFO, Peter Oppenheimer, located at an office on the 175-acre site of Apple’s planned campus. According to Oppenheimer:

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Apple now says iPhone 5s ships in 2-3 weeks, customers seeing mid-November deliveries

Mark Gurman Oct 11 2013 - 12:15 pm PT

7 Comments

Apple today has changed its iPhone 5s shipping estimates in the United States (and other countries such as China, Canada, and Australia), to note that the phones will ship in 2-3 weeks. Previously, Apple said that phones would ship in October. The high-end of the new quoted time will put some phones in the range of shipping during the first week of November…

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Are iPhone 5c sales low or supplies high?

Ben Lovejoy Oct 11 2013 - 8:04 am PT

36 Comments

Image: abcnews.com

KGI’s Mingchi Kuo, an analyst with a solid track-record, and the man who came closest (almost) to calling opening weekend sales of the iPhone, now believes Apple shipped ‘just’ 11.4M iPhone 5c handsets in September, rather than the 17M he had earlier forecast, reports Business Insider.

Kuo is now estimating Apple shipped 11.4 million 5Cs in the September quarter, a 33% drop from his original estimate. He also says he expects 5C sales to be just 10.4 million units for the December quarter, a 10% sequential drop.

This makes some sense of the rampant discounting seen on the 5C (which actually started at Walmart before launch), but doesn’t necessarily mean that iPhone sales as a whole are down …
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iOS 7 tops 2013 Mobile OS User Experience Benchmarks

Ben Lovejoy Oct 11 2013 - 7:25 am PT

19 Comments

iOS 7 has taken top billing in Pfeiffer Consulting’s annual Mobile OS User Experience Benchmarks, scoring just over 73 percent against 57 percent for Android and 47 percent for Windows Phone.

The study attempts to calculate an objective rating for the usability of a mobile OS by a typical, non-technical user by measuring four elements:

Cognitive load
Efficiency
Customization
User experience friction …
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After the (RED) Leica, the (RED) desk (in aluminum, of course)

Ben Lovejoy Oct 11 2013 - 6:09 am PT

6 Comments

Following the interview in which Jony Ives and Marc Newson talked about their collaborative design of the one-off Leica M camera for the (RED) charity auction, the one-of-a-kind desk designed by the two has also been unveiled.

As you might expect, it’s made from machined aluminum, fabricated by renowned aluminum specialists Neal Feay Studio. The design is, though, not quite as minimalist as I’d expected, featuring a mosaic pattern on its surface. More photos below the fold …

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